The present invention relates to computerized control systems such as those employed for controlling fluid distribution in a dynamic distribution network.
Systems for distributing fluids such as fuel, liquid feedstocks, refrigerants, compressed air, fluidized solids, gases, and fluid-like quantities like electricity (subject to pressure and flow through a conduit), are an important component of manufacturing operations, chemical plants, energy distribution, office buildings, and large equipment. Often these distribution systems have complex networks of conduit whose configurations can change with demand or to accommodate failure of portions of the distribution system.
An example distribution system is chilled-water distribution in a modern warship. Chilled-water provides cooling for critical electronic components and machines as well as cooling for crew quarters and work areas.
Chilled-water must be provided to high priority users even in the face of damage to the distribution network, such as may occur in wartime. Accordingly, the chilled-water is distributed through a network of redundant pipeways connected by a valve system that allows chilled-water to be routed around damaged pipe sections if necessary. Additional reliability is obtained by providing multiple chilled-water producers that may be flexibly connected to any given chilled-water consumer through the redundant pipeways.
Controlling such a chilled-water system is extremely difficult. The multiple chilled-water producers, valves, and pipeways provide a large number of configurations, each of which must be considered when programming the control system. The control system must be programmed to accommodate varying and competing demands for chilled-water as chilled-water consumers switch in and out over time. Finally, the control system must respond to highly unpredictable damage to the distribution system such as may occur in battle.
Conventional programmed control systems can effectively provide only a limited range of responses covering easily anticipated problems and may require additional human supervision and/or manual intervention undercutting the benefits that could be obtained from completely automated control.
Consequently, it would be advantageous if an improved control system for complex systems such as the aforementioned water management system could be devised. In particular, it would be advantageous if such an improved control system could be developed that was capable of automatically diagnosing and adjusting in response to damage or other problems that can occur in the operation of such water management or other controlled systems.